D&D 5E How complex do you like your character creation process?

[Ancalagon]

For myself: more. It's part of the reason one of my groups switched to PF2.

But for the game as a whole, I wish it was more variable. Some classes (or at least subclasses) should be pretty much plug-and-play - you're a champion, you're good to go.

There are a few of those - like the psi warrior is a bit like a battlemaster with all the maneuvers chosen for you already.

 

[Neonchameleon]

There are a few of those - like the psi warrior is a bit like a battlemaster with all the maneuvers chosen for you already.

The problem with this in 5e is that it's pretty close to a "Wizards rule, fighters drool" situation. The battlemaster doesn't have any choices that aren't available at level 3, and they're the most flexible fighter-type. Meanwhile there aren't really prebuilt casters (possibly the Soulknife)

 

[TwoSix]

I don't think I'd want to see D&D go that way tbh but there is game space there. I'd want much shorter games; Japanese style single long sessions would be ideal.

I could go with that, I favor shorter games anyway. Campaigns of roughly a dozen sessions are my ideal.

 

[jmartkdr2]

The problem with this in 5e is that it's pretty close to a "Wizards rule, fighters drool" situation. The battlemaster doesn't have any choices that aren't available at level 3, and they're the most flexible fighter-type. Meanwhile there aren't really prebuilt casters (possibly the Soulknife)

The most annoying bit to me is: there's no reason fighter subclasses couldn't do so much more than they do. EK could have totally covered all the gish concepts, but it falls flat.

And since the DnD team doesn't want to make anything "obsolete," they're unwilling to make corrections.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Campaigns of roughly a dozen sessions are my ideal.

Interesting... is that a campaign, though, or an adventure?

IME, most "adventures" take from 4-12 sessions, and of course a campaign is a series of adventures.

 

[Neonchameleon]

I could go with that, I favor shorter games anyway. Campaigns of roughly a dozen sessions are my ideal.

Mine too. And really short campaigns have the advantage that you can burn your characters and not leave them in positions where you groan at the thought of picking them up again. The longer the campaign the more comfortable I want my characters to feel - but in an ultra short campaigns let the dice fall where they will. I don't want to be stuck playing a "Throg smash" barbarian for a year - but for a session or two it's a blast.

 

[TwoSix]

Interesting... is that a campaign, though, or an adventure?

IME, most "adventures" take from 4-12 sessions, and of course a campaign is a series of adventures.

Honestly, I doubt I could tell you the difference. We just play till the game comes to a natural stopping point.

 

[Parmandur]

Interesting... is that a campaign, though, or an adventure?

IME, most "adventures" take from 4-12 sessions, and of course a campaign is a series of adventures.

Anything that's more than a one shot, as in one single night, is what I would call a "Campaign."

 

[Lanefan]

Interesting... is that a campaign, though, or an adventure?

IME, most "adventures" take from 4-12 sessions, and of course a campaign is a series of adventures.

This.

A single session game is a one-off*.

A single-adventure game covering several sessions (e.g. a play-through of a classic module) is just that and no more.

I don't call it a campaign until it gets to multiple adventures and-or multiple parties running within the same setting; adventure paths always qualify as campaigns as despite it all being in the same book (in the WotC publishing model anyway) there's different discrete adventures embedded in there.

* - and usually involves large amounts of beer and some very silly gaming.

 

[Parmandur]

This.

A single session game is a one-off*.

A single-adventure game covering several sessions (e.g. a play-through of a classic module) is just that and no more.

I don't call it a campaign until it gets to multiple adventures and-or multiple parties running within the same setting; adventure paths always qualify as campaigns as despite it all being in the same book (in the WotC publishing model anyway) there's different discrete adventures embedded in there.

* - and usually involves large amounts of beer and some very silly gaming.

"Adventure" is more of a publishing category: the campaign is what happens at the table.